The role of institutionalization in theory of mind

Abstract

In this chapter, we focus on ToM in another atypical development context, that is, child-rearing institutions. As we describe in detail in the following pages, child-rearing institutions (sometimes called orphanages) provide a distinct, nonnormative environment due to the lack of a stable caregiver, lack of stimulating materials (e.g., educational materials and toys), and dierences in composition of the rearing context (e.g., characterized mainly by many similar-aged children living together with few adults) and conversational interactions with caregivers (Hakimi-Manesh, Mojdehi, & Tashakkori, 1984; Muhamedrahimov, 1999). For many decades, research which investigated development of institution-reared children helped us better understand the mechanisms of normative development and developmental psychopathology (e.g., Beckett et al., 2006; Kreppner et al., 2007; Lawler, Hostinar, Mliner, & Gunnar, 2014; MacLean, 2003; Rutter et al., 1999; Stellern, Esposito, Mliner, Pears, & Gunnar, 2014). Although at rst sight the two literatures look distinct, the ndings in the above-mentioned literature on children with physical disabilities and autism are also relevant for elucidating the mechanisms of inuence in development of institution-reared children. Another literature which is helpful to understand the development of institution-reared children is the one on maltreated children (e.g., Cicchetti & Ng, 2014). In this chapter, we have a look at these literatures to better understand the mind-reading abilities of institution-reared children. But rst, we briey focus on another relevant literature, the literature on sibling and adult inuences on ToM development in normative populations, and then give a summary of the literature on ToM development in children with physical disabilities and maltreated children. And then we provide information about child-rearing institutions and review the limited literature that investigates mental-state understanding in this child population. Despite having some commonalities with maltreated, deaf, and autistic children, institution-reared children have other, unique experiences which make them distinct, so that studies in this eld provide valuable information on the inuence of early context in the development of mental-state understanding.